Cam



J. O. M KEAN March 25, 1930.

CAM

Filed March 6, 1929 ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE JOHN O. MCKEAN, 0F WESTFIELD, MASSAC EIUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TOFOSTER MACHINE CAM Application filed March 6,

The traverse cams for winding machines are commonly made of cast ironand they wear away very rapidly at their return points where the excesspressure of the thread guide comes, due to its sharp reversing action,said wearing away of the cam frequently causing breakage at these returnpoints and also adversely affecting the accurate winding of the threador yarn. The intermediate portions of the cam are subjected to verylittle wear.

The object of my invention is to extend the effective life of thetraverse cam by elminating to a great extent this wearing away of thecam at the return points; by hardening the return points whereby thereturn points will have greater wear resisting qualities than theintermediate portions of the cam; thus allowing the cam to be made ofcast iron as is now usual, because of its comparative cheapness.

A further object is to arrange the spokes oi the cam so they willconnect the hub with the rim at its unhardened portions between thehardened return points of the cam and thereby permit the shrinkage ofthe metal at the return points when subjected to the hardening step,without liability of breaking the cam or spokes.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the traverse cam;

Fig. 2 represents an end view of the same, portions of the rim beingbroken away at the return points of the cam groove and at a pointintermediate the same, to indicate the hard ened and unhardened portionsof the cam, and

Fig. 3 represents the cam in side elevation.

The traverse cam illustrated herein comprises a rim 1 having a groove 2,the walls of which are hardened at its two return points 3, 4, a hub 5and tour spokes 6, 7, 8 and 9 connecting the hub with the unhardenedportions of the rim between the said hardened return points.

In producing the traverse cam, it is first castof iron in the desiredform and subsequently the return points of the cam are sub- 1929. SerialNo. 344,695.

jected to any well known or approved hardening process so that thereturn points will be of greater wear resisting qualities than theintermediate portions of the cam.

Vherc the cam has a cam groove, as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, the cam is cast and the cam groove is cut therein. Afterwards,the cam at the return points of the groove is hardened by any well knownor approved process which will cause the walls of the groove at itsreturn points to be of greater wear resisting qualities than theintermediate portions.

By casting the cam so that the spokes will connect the hub with theunhardened portions of the rim between the hardened return points of thecam, I am enabled to permit the shrinkage of the metal in the hardeningstep at the return points of the cam without danger of causing breakage,as would be liable if the spokes were connected to the rim at its returnpo'nts.

By hardening the cam at its return points only, I am enabled to stillproduce the cam of cast iron, which is very cheap, and yet materiallyprolong the life of the cam as there is very little wearing away or" thecam intermediate its return points.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence, I do notwish to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown anddescribed; but what I claim is 1. A cast iron traverse cam comprising arim treated at its return points to harden them, a hub and spokesconnecting the hub with the rim between said hardened return points.

2. A cast iron traverse cam comprising a rim having a cam groove cuttherein, the walls of the groove being treated at the return points toharden them, a hub and spokes connecting the hub with the rim betweensaid hardened return points.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name this 4th day of March, 1929.

JOHN O. MGKEAN.

